Taichung, Taiwan – A suspected gas explosion at a department store in central Taiwan’s Taichung city resulted in at least five fatalities and injured seven others on Thursday, according to the local fire department. The incident took place on the 12th floor of the building, which was undergoing construction at the time. The department confirmed that the food court on that floor was closed due to the ongoing work.
Footage circulating on social media captured the dramatic moment of the explosion, showing debris and cladding being expelled from the building with clouds of dust emanating from the site.
Location: Taichung, Taiwan
Incident: Suspected gas explosion at a department store
Casualties: At least 5 dead, 7 injured
Location of Explosion: 12th floor, under construction
Time: Around 11:30 am
Building: Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store
Operational Status: Food court closed due to construction
Rescue: Operations ongoing, described as “very serious”
Operators: Joint venture between Shin Kong Group (Taiwan) and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Limited (Japan)
A witness, identified only as Lu, who works near the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store, recounted feeling the vibrations from the blast around 11:30 am. “I was working in the city government building around 11:30 am and because it’s right next to Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store, I felt a vibration,” Lu stated.
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Fire department officials described the situation as “very serious” and noted that rescue operations were still underway. The department store in question is a joint venture between Taiwan’s Shin Kong Group and Japan’s Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Limited.
